Feeding mechanism for sewing-machines



A. H. m: VOEJ.

FEEDING-MECHANISM FOR SEWING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED v.21. 1916.

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FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING MAcHmEs.

'APPucAnbN FILED n0'v.2|. ms.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

I INVENTOR J/ii ZZ /WM/Q,

TTORNEV.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT H. DE VOE, 0F WESTFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGERMANU- FACTU'RING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Application filed November 21, 1916.

T 0 all whom it may con 061%:

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. DE Von, a citizen of the United States, residing at Westiield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and seful Improvements in Feeding Mechanisms for Sewing-l /lachines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

l. his invention relates to sewing machines and particularly to feeding mechanisms therefor in which differentially actuated members are moved to gather or full fabric in advance of the presser-foot in order that it may be subsequently sewed in either a ruffled or a substantially normal condition free from distortion according to the character of the work.

It has for its object to provide an im proved high speed differentially movable feeding mechanism which is simple in construction, compact, readily adjustable and quick acting.

Further objects of the invention are to provide mechanism for imparting four-motions to an upper feeding member from a single driving shaft and through connections that permit the lengths of the feeding and lifting strokes thereof to be varied, and to provide means for controlling the force with which the upper feeding member is impinged against the fabric.

And another object of my invention is to provide in a differential feeding mechanism automatic means for uniformly fulling material regardless of its thickness so that several pieces of material of the same length but of different thickness may be separately stitched to a body fabric and, finished, will be of the same length.

These and other objects are'realized in my construction in which a needle driving rock shaft is provided with a crank-disk driving a sector-plate which is springpresscd to frictionally engage a feed-bladecarrying-arm against the disk thus affording a frictional driving connection for imparting lifting movements to the blade, the feeding movements of the blade being derived from a pivoted hanger pivotally supporting the arm carrying the blade, through a crank-pin block adjustably mounted on the cranlndisk. Stop pins are provided for limiting the lifting movements of the blade. The pivoted supporting lever for the hanger Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1921.

Serial No. 132,521.

is slidingly connected with a pin carried by the presser-bar with which pin the cam portion of an ordinary presser-foot lifting lever is adapted to engage to effect a simultaneous elevation of the presser-foot and blade.

My invention also consists in certain detallsof construction which will appear in the description of the embodiment of my in vention shown in the drawings in which Figure l is an end elevation'of'the head of the machine with the face-plate removed; F 1g. 2 is a sectional side elevation; Fig. 3 is a perspective view" from the rear of the machine; Fig. i is a perspective view of the faceplate and parts carried thereby; and perspective views, Fig. 5 of'the crank-disk, Fig. 6 of the blade and arm, Fig. 7 ofv the hanger, and Fig. 8 of the presser-foot, visualize the details of construction.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention needles 1, of any suitable form of stitching mechanism, are carried by a needle-bar 2 driven through a link 3 and crank: arm l fast to a rock-shaft 5; A crank-disk 5, driven in any suitable manner from the rock-shaft but preferably, as shown, connected for movement with the rock-shaft through a bent-arm 6 secured by screws 7 in a seat 8 in a block or enlargement 9 integral or fastened to the crank-arm l, is provided with connections for imparting both feeding and lifting movements to an upper feeding member or blade indicated at 50.

The conversion of the oscillatory motion of the crank-disk into feeding movements of the blade is effected through a hanger'piw oted intermediate its ends and oscillated by a crank construction carried by the disk and embraced by the upper end of the hanger, a blade being pivotally supported at the lower end of the hanger for movement independently thereof for a purpose to be hereinafter described. Specifically the connections comprise a block 10 loosely mounted on a crankpin 11 fixed by a lock-nut 12 on its threaded portion 13 to a slide 14 which is movable in a guideway 15 in the crank-disk 5 and through suitably disposed slots 16 and screw 17 radially shiftable to vary the length of the feeding movements of the blade. A hanger l8 pivoted for movement about an axis intermediate its ends is slotted at its up. per end 19 to embrace the crank-pin-block lG'and at its lower end the hanger is provided with a slot 20 through which is passed llO a clamp-screw 21 for adjustably securing to the hanger a bearing 22 affording a pivotal support for an upper feeding member or blade to be later described.

The conversion of the oscillations of the crank-disk into lifting movements of the blade is effected through an arm pivoted to the lower end of the hanger and fixedly connected with the blade which, as arranged, is movable in an are substantially transverse to the arc of movement of the lower end of the hanger, the arm being oscillated by the crank-disk through a frictional driving device. Specifically the connections comprise a sector-plate 30, Figs. 2 and 4, oscillated about the sameaxis as the rock-shaft 5 on a pin 31 journaled in the boss 32 on the faceplate 33 which is remova'bly attached by screws 34 to the head 35 of the machine, the pin 31 being reduced at 37 to afford a shoulder 38 against which a coiled spring 39 surrounding the reduced extension 37 is adapted to bear to thrust the sector-plate toward the crank-disk, the other end of the coiled spring bearing against an adjustable abutment in the form of a thumb-screw 40 threaded into the boss 32 and drilled at 41 to receive the free end of the reduced extension 37, a knurled nut 42 affording means for locking the abutment in place. The crank-disk 5 is provided with a wear-plate 43 and is drilled at 44 eccentrically to receive a pin 45 carried by the sector-plate 30 the same distance from the axis of oscillation, thus establishing a driving conne.;tion between the plate and disk. The upper feeding member 50, herein shown, has a relatively stiff blade but obviously other forms of fabric-engaging elements could be used, is provided with an ear 51 adjustably secured in any suitable manner as at 52 to the bent-arm 53 of an attachment bar 54 provided with a laterally arranged pin 55 fixed by a set screw 56 within a bearing bushing 57 which is journaledv in the bearing 22 of the hanger and affords a pivotal support for an arm 60 extending upwardly between the crank-disk and sector-plate frictionally engaged with theupper end thereof and imparting lifting movements to the blade therethrough. A collar 61 is secured by a set-screw 62 on the bearing bush 5? to prevent endwise movement thereof in the bearing 22. A short pin 63, also carried by the attachment bar 54, engages in a slot 64 in a lever-arm 65 fast on the bearing bush and insures against rotation of the attachment bar 54 on the pin 55 secured in the bearing bushing as well as takesthe strain off the set-screw 56. Thus the arm 60,.the bearing bushing 57 and the attachment bar 54 carrying the blade are fixedly connected together and establish an operative connection between the rock-shaft and the blade frictionally driven through the spring-pressed plates.

For limiting the amplitude of the lifting movements of the blade, stops are provided consisting of pins carried by the slideblocks 71 fitted in a guideway 72 inside of the removable face-plate 33 and adjustable through the agency of slots 73 in the faceplate receiving screws 74 tapped into the slide-blocks. These stops are arranged transverse to the plane of oscillation of the arm 60 driven by the friction plates and in the path of movement of the arm so that the arm may be restrained from moving with the friction. plates before they have completed their oscillatory movements and thus permitting lost-motion between the arm and the friction plates. In this way there is provided means for limiting the ampli tude of the lifting movements of the blade andthus, within certain limits the approach of the blade to the plane of the feed-dog 75, with which the machine is provided, may be predetermined.

As it is desirable to raise the gathering, ruiiling or fulling blade 50 with the presserfoot 76 the pivot intermediate the ends of the hanger is suitably connected for movement with the prcsser-foot. The hanger is provided intermediate its ends with the pivot pin 80 confinedby a collar 81 against endwise movement within a bearing 82 carried by a lifting and supporting lever 83 pivoted at 84 to a fixed part ofthe head and provided with an inclined slot 85 adapted to embrace a friction roller 86 on a pin 87 fixed in a yoke 88 having spaced bosses 89 fitted to the presser-bar 90 carrying the presser-foot 76 above and below a block 91 fastened to the presser-bar by a set-screw 92. A lifting lever 93 having a cam-face 94 adapted to bear against the roller serves to permit simultaneous elevation of the pressenfoot and blade through the supporting and lifting lever connected by the pivotpin 80 with the hanger 18 in the lower end of which the blade 50 is pivotally supported. In addition to the lifting lever any suitable treadle operated lifting means may be connected with the yoke 88 but being old and well-known it is not deemed necessary to illustrate the same.

It is to be noted that arm 60 and consequently blade 50 are vibrated instantly upon the reversal of the rock-shaft, thereby effecting a rapid grip and release of the fabric immediately upon commencing the forward and backward feeding movements of the blade. This facilitates a fulling action in advance of the feeding action of the main feeddog upon the work and enables the blade to be withdrawn from the 12-5 work before the feed-dog has been dropped below the elevation of the throat-plate at the end of its feed stroke.

Adaptability to difierent thicknesses of goods flows from pivotally supporting the hanger carrying the blade to the lifting and supporting lever which is shifted up and down according to the thickness of the goods through'connections with the presserfoot.

As the presser-foot rises and falls with variations in the thickness of fabric passing thereunder, the pivotpin 80 and the hanger 18 are shifted. Obviously this results in increasing or decreasing the vibration of the hanger by the crank-pin biock, the throw of which is constant for an given adjustment, and consequently with thicker goods the blade supported in the lower end of the hanger is given a greater sweep than with thin goods and vice versa. This action is automatic and is to bedistinguished from the adjustment of the blade up and down vertically to maintain it approximately in a plane with the lower surface of the presser-foot. Likewise varying the distance between the pivot-pin and the stops 71 produces variations in the lifting movements of the blade according to the thickness of fabric.

Materials differ in character some being softer than others. The depth with which the blade sinks into the goods may be suited to the character of the work by adjusting one of the stops 70, in this case the forward stop. The force with which the blade impinges against the material may be made light enough for the thinnest of fabrics and heavy enough'for the thickest knit goods which have any tendency to stretch by a simple rapid manipulation of the thumbscrew 40 to vary the tension with which the coiled spring 39 thrusts the sector-plate 30 toward the crank-disk 5 to frictionally engage and drive the arm connected with the blade.

lVhile I have shown and described the invention as embodied in a fulling feed mechanism, it is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto because by obvious changes in proportion the blade may be given feeding movements. or lifting movements, or both, of amplitude sufiiciently great to gather or'rui'iie material.

In certain broad aspects my invention embraces a construction in which the friction-driving connection is replaced by any other suitable mechanism for imparting lifting movements to the dog, it being obvious for example that a link between the crank-disk 5' and arm 60 could be used in lieu of the spring-pressed sector-plate And also it is to be understood that my invention broadly in some aspects is capable of application to an under as well as an upper feeding mechanism. 7

'Having thus set forth the nature of the inventiom-what I claim herein is:

1. In a sewing machine. in combination with astitchin'g mechanism, a fulling feed element including a friction-driv-ing conhaving a fabric-engaging element arranged for operation on fabric in advance of the stitching mechanism, and means for imparting -four motions to said fabric-engaging nection.

2. In a sewing machine, in combination with a stitching mechanism, a fulling feed having a fabric-engaging element arranged for operation on fabric in advance of the stitching mechanism, means for imparting feeding movements to. said fabric-engaging element, and means for imparting thereto lifting movements including a frictiondriving connection. p

8. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitching mechanism, a feed-dog, a presser-foot, a fulling feed having a fabricengaging element arranged for operation on fabric in advance of the presser-foot, a rockshaft, and means driven by said rock-shaft for imparting feeding and lifting movements to said fabric-engaging element.

at. In a sewing machine, the combination with a stitching mechanism, a fulling feed having blade arranged for operation on fabric in advance of the stitching mechanism, an arm connected with said blade, and means for imparting four motions to said blade including a friction-driving connection comprising plates yieldingly engaged with opposite sides of said arm.

5. In a sewing machine, in combination with a stitching mechanism, a feed-dog, a presser-foot, a fabric-engaging element arranged for operation on fabric in advance of the prcsser-foot, means for imparting four motions to said fabric-engaging element including a frictioirdriving connection and means for varying the amount of friction thereof.

6. In a sewing machine, in combination with stitching mechanism, a feed-dog, a

'presser-foot, a blade arranged for operation on fabric in advance of the presser-foot, an arm connected with said blade, and means for imparting four motions to said blade including a friction-driving connection comprising, a crank-disk and a sector-plate yieldingly thrust toward said crank-disk, said arm being arranged between said crankdisk and said sectorplate.

7. In a sewing machine, in combination with stitching mechanism, a feed-dog, a presser-foot, a rock-shaft, a blade arranged foroperation on fabric in advance of the presser-foot, an arm connected with said blade, and means for imparting four motions to said blade including a friction-driving connection comprising, a crank-disk and a sector-plate yieldingly thrust toward said crank-disk, said arm being arranged between said crank-disk and said sector-plate, said sector-plate and crank-disk having a common axis of oscillation. 1B0

8. In a sewing machine, in combination with stitching mechanism, a feed-dog anda presser-foot, an upper feeding member arranged for operation onfabric in advance of the presser-foot, an arm connected with said upper feeding member, means for imparting four motions to said upper feeding member including a friction-driving connection comprising, plates engaged with opposite sides of sald arm and means for varying the amount of pressure with which said plates engage the arm.

9. In a sewing machine, in combination with stitching mechanism, feed-dog, a presser-foot, a hanger pivotally supported intermediate its ends, a blade pivotally mounted on the lower end of said hanger, an arm connected with said blade, means frictionally engaging said arm to impart lifting movements to said blade, and means for imparting feeding movements to said blade connected with the upper end of said hanger.

10. In. a sewing machine, in combination, a presser-foot, a hanger pivoted for movement about an axis intermediate its ends, a blade pivoted for movement about an axis passing through the lower end of said hanger, an arm connected with said blade, a rock-shaft, a crank-disk carried thereby, and operative connections between said crankdisk and both the arm and the upper end of said hanger for imparting four motions to said blade.

11. In a'sewing machine, a presser-foot, a hanger pivoted for movement about an axis intermediate its ends, a blade pivoted for movement about an axis passing through the lower end of said hanger, an arm connected with said blade, a rock-shaft, a crank-disk carried thereby, and operative connections between said crank-disk and both the arm and the upper end of said hanger for imparting four motions to said blade including means for frictionally driving said arm from said crank-disk.

12. In a sewing machine, a presser-foot, a hanger pivoted for movement about an axis intermediate its ends, a blade pivoted for movement about an axis passing through the lower end of said hanger, an arm connected with said blade, a rock-shaft, a crankdisk carried thereby, and operative connections between said crank-disk and both the arm and the upper end of said hanger for imparting four motions to said blade.

, 13, In a sewing machine, in combination with stitching mechanism, a presser-foot and a cooperating feed-dog, an upper feeding member arranged to engage the fabric in advance ofsaid cooperating foot and dog and differentially movable with relation to said dog, means for imparting feeding movements' to said upper feeding member, means for imparting lifting movements thereto, and one or more stops for controlling the amplitude of the lifting movements of said upper feeding member.

1%. In a sewing machine, in combination with feeding mechanism, a hanger pivotally with stitching mechanism, a feed-dog and a cooperating presser-foot, means for lifting said presser-foot, a lifting and supporting lever pivoted for movement about a fixed axis, a loose connection between said lever and said presser-foot for supporting the lever, a hanger pivotally supported on said lifting and supporting lever, an upper feeding member pivotally supported on the lower end of said hanger, an arm connected with the upper feeding member, and means operatively connected with said arm and said upper end of the hanger for imparting four motions to said upper feeding member.

16. In a sewing machine, in combination, a presser-foot, an upper feeding member, means for imparting lifting movements thereto, a hanger pivotally supporting the feeding member'and being in turn pivoted for movement about an axis intermediate its ends, a driving shaft, a crank-disk carried thereby and a crank-pin block adjustably supported on said crank-disk, said hanger having its upper end slotted to embrace said crank-pin block whereby feeding movements may be given to the upper feeding member.

17. In a sewing machine, in combination, a presser-foot, a feed-dog, a driving shaft, a crank-disk operated thereby, a sector-plate driven by and, pivoted coaxially with said crank-disk, an arm arranged between said crank-disk and said sector-plate, a spring urging said sector-plate toward said crankdisk, means for adjusting the tension of said spring, an upper feeding member connected with said arm and pivoted for movement therewith, and operative connections for imparting feeding'movements to said upper feeding member.

1 18. In a sewing machine, in combination, a 'presser-foot, a feed-dog, a feeding member, a pivoted hanger pivotally supporting said feeding member, a crank-disk, means for oscillating said crank-disk, a crank-pin carried by the disk, operative connections between said crank-pin and the upper end of said hanger whereby the feeding member may be given feeding movements, a sectorplate driven by and pivoted coaxially with said crank-disk, an arm connected to said feeding member and arranged between the disk and sector-plate, and a spring urging said sector-plate toward the disk whereby the feeding member may be given lifting movements.

19. In a sewing machine, in combination, a presser-foot, a feed-dog, a. feeding memher, a pivoted hanger pivotallv supporting said feeding member, a crank-disk,- means for oscillating said crank-disk, a crank-pin carried by the disk, operative connections between said crank-pin and the upper end of said hanger whereby the feeding member may be given feeding movements, a sectorplate driven by and pivoted coaxially with said crank-disk, an arm connected to said feeding member and arranged between the disk and sector-plate, a spring urging said sector-plate toward the disk whereby the feeding member may be given lifting movements, and one or more stops for limiting the vibration of said arm whereby the amplitude of the lifting movements may be predetermined.

20. In a sewing machine, in combination with stitching mechanism, a presser-foot and a cooperating feed-dog, an upper feeding member arranged to engage fabric in advance of said cooperating foot and dog and differentially movable with relation to said dog, means for imparting feeding movements to said upper feeding member, means for imparting lifting movements thereto, including a frictional driving connection and one or more stops for controlling the amplitude of the lifting movements of the upper feeding member.

21. In a sewing machine, in combination with stitching mechanism, a presser-foot and a cooperating feed-dog, an. upper feeding member arranged to engage fabric in advance of said cooperating foot and dog and differentially movable with relation to said dog, means for imparting feeding movements to said upper feeding member, means for imparting lifting movements thereto, in-

cluding a driving connection permitting lost-motion and means for determining the amount of lost-motion.

22. In a sewing machine, in combination with stitching mechanism, a resser-foot and a cooperating feed-dog, an upper feeding member arranged to engage the fabric in advance of said cooperating foot and dog and differentially movable with relation to said dog, means for imparting feeding movements to said upper feeding member, means for imparting lifting movements thereto, including a frictional driving connection comprising spaced plates, an arm connected with said upper feeding member and arranged therebetween, and means pressing the plates and arm together, and stops for limiting the movement imparted to said arm through said plates.

23. In a sewing machine having stitchforming mechanism including a needle, in combination, cooperating dog and presser elements for advancing the work, an auxiliary feeding member movable differentially with relation to said dog and operating upon the work in advance of the needle, means for imparting lifting movements to said member, means for imparting feeding movements to said member, and automatic means for varying the length of feeding movements imparted to said member according to the thickness of material.

24. In a sewing machine having stitchforming mechanism including a needle, in combination, cooperating dog and presser elements for advancing the work, an auxiliary feeding member movable differentially with relation to said dog and operating upon the work in advance of the needle, means for imparting feeding movements tosaid member, means for imparting lifting movements to said member and connected with the presser element so that the length of the lifting movements imparted to said member are automatically varied according to the thickness of the work. g

25. In a sewing machine having stitchforming mechanism including a needle, in combination, cooperating dog and presser elements for advancing the work, an auxiliary feeding member movable differentially with relation to said dog and operating upon the work in advance of the needle, means for imparting feeding and liftin movements to said member, and automatic means for varying the amplitude of said feeding and lifting movements according tothe' thickness of the work.

26. In a sewing machine having stitchforming mechanism including a needle, in combination, cooperating dog and presser elements for advancing the work a stitch length at a time, an upper feeding member movable differentially with relation to said dog and operating upon the work in advance of the needle, means for impartinglifting movements to said member, means for i111- parting feeding movements tosaid member, and automatic means for varying the length of feeding movements imparted to said member according to the thickness of material.

27. In a sewing machine having stitchforming mechanism including a needle, in combination, cooperating dog and presser elements foradvancing the work a stitch length at a time, an upper-feeding member combination, a main feed-dog and a presserfoot coiiperating therewith to advance the work a stitch length at a time, an auxiliary feeding member movable differentially with relation to said dog and operating upon the work in advance of the needle, and means connected with the presser-foot so as to be controlled by the thickness of the work for automatically varying the action of the auxiliary member as the thickness of the work varies.

30. A sewing machine, in combination with the stitch-forming mechanism, a feed having a fabric engaging element, and ineans for imparting feeding and lifting movements to said element including a friction driving connection comprising a moving driving member and a driven member actuated thereby through frictional contact with the driving member and said frictional drive adapted to move the driven member in a plurality of directions.

81. In a sewing machine, in combination with stitch-forming mechanism, a feed having a fabric engaging element, means for imparting feeding movements to said fabric engaging element, and means for imparting thereto lifting movements includinga friction driving connection comprising a moving driving member and a driven member actuated thereby through frictional contact with the driving member and said frictional drive adapted to move the driven member in a plurality of directions.

fabric-engaging element including a friction driving connection. i

33. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism, a feed-dog,

a presser-foot, an auxiliary feed having a fabric engaging element for operating on the work in advance of the stitching mechanism, a rock-shaft, and means driven by said rock-shaft for imparting feeding and lifting movements to said element including a friction-driving connection.

said movements including an adjustable stop.

In a sewing machine, in combination with stitch-forming mechanism, feeding mechanism and a cooperating presser element, an auxiliary feeding means including an element operating on the work in ad Vance of the stitch-forming mechanism, means for imparting feeding and lifting movements to said elements including a. friction driving connection permitting lost motion and means for determining the amount of lost motion.

-36. In a sewing machine having stitch-' forming mechanism including a needle, in combination, cooperating dog and presserelements for advancing the work. an auxiliarv feeding member movable differentially with relation to said dog and operating upon the work in advance of the needle, means for imparting feeding movements to said member and means whereby the feeding movements are automatically varied with variations in the thickness of material being sewed.

37.111 a sewing machine having stitchforming mechanism including a needle, in combination, a main feed-dog and a presserfoot cooperating therewith to advance the work a stitch length at a ti e. an auxiliary feeding member movable differentially with relation to said dog and operating upon the work in advance of the needle. and means controlled by the presser-foot for causing variations in'movements of the auxiliary member with variations in the thickness of the work.

38. In a sewing machine. in combination with the stitcbingmechanism, a feeding element, means forimnarting movements to said element, including a moving driving member and a'driven member having frictional driving en agement with the first member. said driving member adapted to move said driven member in at least two directions.

39. In a sewing machine, in combination with the stit hing mechanism. a feeding element. an oscillating driving member, anad iustable element mounted thereon. means for transmitting motion from the adjustable element to the f eding ele ent. a driven member havingfrictional driving en a ement with the driving member, adjustable means for limiting the movements of the driven member and means for transmitting motion from the driven member to the feeding element.

40. In a sewing machine, in combination with stitch-forming mechanism, feeding mechanism and a cooperating presser element, an auxiliary feeding means including an element operating on the top of the Work in advance of the stitch-forming mechanism,

means for imparting feeding and lifting 10 movements to said element including a driving connection permitting lost motion and means for determining the amount of lost motion.

In testimony whereof, I have signed 'my 15 name to this specification.

ALBERT H. DE VOE. 

